


Touch

by ch3miistry



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Old World Blues DLC, Other, this isn't detailed but it's explicit enough I don't feel comfortable rating it mature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 12:54:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15582450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ch3miistry/pseuds/ch3miistry
Summary: Whether it be the warmth of a coffee mug held in his hands, the chill of water against his skin, or the gentle embrace that he received from the lobotomite in the mornings, he missed it all.  Synthtank AU.





	Touch

Since being placed into a new body, one that returned Zero to his original form rather than the abomination of wires and screens, so many feelings were new to him.  For 200 years, he was isolated from the things that make life unique. It was never like he had given up his entire existence, at least, being turned into a bit of code on a plastic holotape, but without his body, he gave up so many of his senses.  He even lost ones he didn’t expect to forget. He forgot the memories of the things he loved and hated. Being placed back into a human body again - or at least humanlike one - refreshed everything.

It felt like being given the chance to start life over, yet still retaining every memory of what life was like beforehand.  He could smell things, taste things, see things in their true colors, even feel things. He could be human again.

Feeling was the sense he missed most.  Whether it be the warmth of a coffee mug held in his hands, the chill of water against his skin, or the gentle embrace that he received from Key in the mornings, he missed it all.  Yet, so much of it was new to him. Unfamiliar. Despite once being used to these feelings, each one was a new lesson to him. In a way, it was almost too strong. Each blanket left shivers down his spine, each cold soda made him feel like his mouth was on fire, and each time someone shook his hand, he could barely register his thoughts.

And then there was Key.

On most days, most times that they’d wrap their hands around his waist or kiss his cheek, it was absolute bliss.  His troubles would fade for that singular moment where he could only think about how special everything felt, how lucky he was.  It left a deep warmth that spread throughout his body, one that could only be described as being the embodiment of happiness. Nothing in the world could ever make him give it up by choice.

But… sometimes it was different.  There was still that sense of rapture in the air, one that made his world spin and melt his worries away for a split second, sending shivers down his spine, but there was something else there.  A deeper, darker desire for something he couldn’t quite explain, nor understand. All he knew is that when he would ask for Key to kiss him again, it only made the feeling stronger.

Sometimes, that same feeling even kept him up at night, leaving him to wait, frustrated and tired in his bed until it became distant enough to ignore.  Those were the times that confused him the most. Key wasn’t even there, nor could he even hear them. If he was only supposed to get those feelings around them, then why did it happen at night too?

Tonight was one of those nights.

Zero laid face up on his bed, staring into the aged ceiling of his home.  His hair was a mess, clearly ruffled from the multiple times he ran his hands through it.  For some reason, when he was in one of these bizarre moods, it felt nice. Nicer than usual.

Nothing could seem to put his mind at ease, though.  Instead, he remained frustrated, exhausted, and irritated with his body.  He didn’t get it. He knew it was vaguely familiar, but not why, nor what the purpose of it was.  It certainly couldn’t be just another type of frustration. If it was, then why did touch feel so good to him?

Maybe he was just lonely.  He couldn’t come up with any other rational explanation for it.  Maybe, in that case, he should go talk to Key. Out of everyone else in the crater, they were certainly the most preferred option, and the most trusted one.  They were also human. They would understand, and maybe help him figure out what he’s dealing with.

Pushing himself up off of the mattress, Zero plucked a set of sleepwear out of the drawer and put them on so he could go outside.  A basic, baggy t-shirt and some thin, blue sweatpants. It was good enough for a trip to the Sink, at least looking presentable enough for when he entered Key’s living space.

He quickly left his own building, making sure to shut his front door as softly as possible in order to avoid drawing attention.  He couldn’t explain why, but something about his late-night escapade made him feel nervous. It left him embarrassed, knowing deep down that he wanted to keep this private.

Light crunches of the fake greenery marked his steps as he moved towards the entrance to the hangar, eventually turning metallic as he climbed the steps to the outside.  The door would make some noise, but if he was careful, he could get away with it. He took the smaller, side entrance, allowing him to avoid the clatters of metal doors opening and closing, eventually being able to let go of the handle and step into the outdoors.

It didn’t take long for him to cross from Higgs Village to the Dome, where he quickly walked into the elevator leading to the Sink.  Yet, once he stood still in the elevator, riding up to where Key would be, he could feel something else being added to the amalgamation of emotions.  This one was less pleasant, however, almost like a knot in his stomach, a representation of odd worries he didn’t even know about. Anxiety.

Zero did his best to fight through it once the elevator doors opened, introducing him to the familiar alcove and the noises from within.  From one of the rooms, a radio quietly broadcasted jazz, while from another, a voice called out in response to the doors being opened.

“Who’s there?”  The voice was Key’s, calm but curious as always, and once again displaying a unique middle point between high and low.

“*Just me.  I figured I’d stop by,*” he replied, stepping further into the Sink.  As he approached the central unit, he glanced at all of the rooms, spotting Key sitting on their bed with a book in hand.  Like him, they also wore loungewear, wearing an old tank and loose, grey shorts. “*I, uh- couldn’t sleep. I know you’re always up late, so… I came here.*”

“Well, now you’re here.  So, Zero, are you just going to stand there, watching me from afar?”  Their voice never lost that playful note to it. He loved it, though. It was just the right balance of sincerity and teasing.

Zero walked into their room, taking a seat next to them on the bed, but making sure to leave a bit of space between them.  As much as he wished he could be close to them while he was like this, holding each other tight, he just couldn’t gather the strength to actually do it.  He glanced along their chest to try and suppress it, travelling upwards until his gaze met Key’s.

“*O- er… sorry. I didn’t mean to stare, I just… have a lot on my mind right now.*”  He felt a bit of regret, diving straight into the reason he came over, but he didn’t let it stop him fully.  The thought was already moving, so he might as well go along with it. “*This new body. Being human again. Feeling things.  It’s strange.*”

“Strange like… negative?”  they asked, tilting their head back against the wall.

“*Not negative, per se… but confusing.  I don’t understand it.*”

“Well, we’ve already been through feeling hunger… and pain… and thirst-”

“*It’s not like that.  It’s something else.*” Biting his lip,  he twiddled his thumbs. “*A sort of… warm feeling.  Happiness.*”

Key let out a light chuckle as their cheeks began to turn pinkish, reaching over to grip his hand.  Their hold was just firm enough to feel pleasant, but not feel trapping. It was perfect. Yet, that weird, deep warmth showed up again, making him breathe out sharply.   


“We’ve already been through this too.  It’s called love, you nerd. You said so yourself.”

“*I do love you.*”   
  
“And I love you too.”

“*But this is different.  It’s… ugh. I don’t know.*”  He shrugged, glancing away for a moment before looking down at the hand that was intertwined with Key’s.  He could tell they were the source, for some odd reason, but it was so confusing. “*It’s like… a burn. A good burn.  It’s always whenever you kiss me, or when…*”

He trailed off.  Just talking about it made the feeling stronger, with a blush of his own coloring his cheeks.

“O, I think I know what it is.”  Key’s voice changed slightly, becoming far less worried, and much more sultry than before.  It was low, quiet, and stirred his mind… and he definitely liked it. “I know how to fix it, too.”

Before Zero could give a response, Key lifted their free hand to cup the back of his head, gently pulling him into a kiss.  Their lips were warm and welcoming, and even though there was a slight dryness to them, he didn’t mind. He barely had the capability of thinking about the negatives anyways, too focused on his heartbeat becoming more rapid and something in his mind unfolding.

As they moved their mouths in unison, Zero let go of Key’s hand, letting it drift past their arm and onto their back, desperately, yet weakly pulling them closer.  The warmth was stronger than ever, dipping into his core and drawing him further into the peculiar trance he seemed to be in. He couldn’t help himself from becoming a bit more fluid in his motions, relaxing his tense posture to work with the feeling instead of against it.  In response, Key adjusted by turning to swing a leg over him, wrapping around him in a straddle. They were closer than ever now, with them sitting as close as possible while on his lap, hips pinned together.

“Is this okay?”

“*Y-yeah.  You’re doing fine.*”  His voice was trembling, still catching up on the air he deprived himself of.  He’s never been this shaky.

“I mean… are you okay with this?  With what I’m doing?”

“*O, um.  Yes, I think so.*”

“Okay.  Just... let me know if you want me to stop.”

Zero nodded before leaning back into Key, pressing his lips against theirs with less timidity than the first time.  They responded with a light hum, somewhere between a laugh and a gasp, following by letting their hands wander lower on his back and dancing along the hem of his shirt.  Slowly, their hands slipped underneath the fabric, lifting it further up on his body to inch him out of it while exploring every inch of uncovered skin.

It didn’t take much for him to oblige.  He slipped his arms out of the sleeves and pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it aside.  He couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous, exposed to Key in a way they’ve never seen him before, but the smile they gave him otherwise comforted the feeling.  It was warm, silently asking him to relax so he could appreciate the moment instead of fret over the mistakes. As he smiled back, they removed their own shirt, pulling it above their head and revealing an assortment of scars that dotted their body.  He couldn’t help but look at them in a combination of fascination and adoration. One lay across their chest, forming a line down the center, just over their heart. Another one, more irregularly shaped, lay on the side of their abdomen. Other small scars dotted their skin, intriguing him to trace a few of them with his fingers before Key pulled them back together, nipping at his neck.

A faint moan escaped him, his body shuddering at the new touch.  It was sharper, but still gentle enough to have more passion than hunger in it.  Yet, he couldn’t stop himself from gripping at Key’s body, trailing down their back to settle just below it.

In response, Key pushed closer to him, arching their body as their legs wrapped tighter around him.  He hadn’t noticed it before, but things felt much firmer where they pushed against him, every feeling seeming almost twice as strong as it used to.  He had forgotten about that part until now, but Key didn’t seem to mind, instead taking the opportunity to move their hips against him and solicit another moan.  He wished they did it for longer.

“Is this what you wanted,  _ Zero _ ?” they hummed, running their hand along his back.  He could feel their smile against his neck, clearly wanting to be a tease.

“*Mmhmm.*”  He didn’t have the strength to talk right now, especially after hearing his name like that.  The way they said it was so dark and rich; he couldn’t handle it. His own voice could only come out as a whimper.

For a moment, they pulled away from him, much to his disappointment, until their hands drifted downwards, tugging at the waistband of his pants.  Slowly, they inched the cloth down, past his knees and his ankles, until they were able to toss the clothing aside completely and gesture for him to move down so his head could rest on the bed.  As he did, they discarded the remainder of their own clothing, climbing back on top of him to continue.

Key immediately aligned themselves with Zero, sinking into another kiss and ghosting his lip with their tongue as they rolled their hips against his.  With nothing keeping them apart, neither of them could hold their silence, each of them failing to stifle their individual gasps. Both of them savored the moment.  It lasted for what seemed like forever. 

Yet, neither of them could control themselves from pressing against each other when a unique pressure started to build: one that made Zero feel like he was going blind.

When he let out another moan, accompanied by grabbing at Key’s hair, Key let out a whimper of their own, quickening their pace to match with the rapidness of their breathing.

“F-fuck.  Zero I-...”

“*Keep going,  _ please  _ keep going.*”

It didn’t take much longer before Key’s movements became erratic, desperate for any moment of contact between them.

Key’s body hitched for a second, shuddering as their voice faltered in a drawn out, shaky sigh.  Their hands simultaneously wrapped around Zero’s body, one working its way to his head while the other wrapped around his waist and yanked him closer, pinning a warm fluid between them.  Their mouth immediately found itself at Zero’s neck again, leaving a trail of kisses along the sides if it.

It sent Zero over the edge.

With a final buckle of his hips, Zero let out a strained moan, only slightly stifled as he bit down on his lip.  His body was practically shaking, left in pure, yet exhausted bliss as he let himself sink into the bed. He finally understood what that feeling was about, and looking up at Key, he realized they probably saw the same.

Once both of them regained their composure, Key got up, quickly returning with a damp washcloth to clean up, then crawling back into bed next to him once the job was done.  The cloth was discarded over the edge of the bed, much like their clothes, before Key snaked their arm around Zero and curled up against him. They were both spent, ready to rest beside each other in peaceful bliss, and more than eager to wake up in the morning with the other by their side.  With one last peck on the cheek, Key ran a hand through his hair, exhausted, yet at peace.

Zero could finally say the same.


End file.
